Jobless figure up again in February

UNEMPLOYMENT in France rose sharply in February, delivering a fresh blow to François Hollande’s government.

Latest figures show there were 3,347,000 “Class A” jobseekers last month - a month-on-month increase of 0.9% - according to Pôle emploi figures.

“Class A” refers to people who undertook no paid work at all.

Over the past year, unemployment rose 4.7%.

Including those people who were eligible for benefits but who had some work in February, the unemployment level was 4,937,800.

The figures, released on the eve of the second round of the municipal elections, are another setback for Mr Hollande’s government - especially since an INSEE survey found that unemployment is a key issue among voters.

The “Responsibility Pact”, which is intended to improve job prospects, has faced major challenges, with unions showing their dissatisfaction in a series of protests - and several announcing they would not sign up to it.

Worse still for the government, weak growth forecasts mean no international body is expecting unemployment in France to fall in 2014.

According to the latest forecasts from Brussels, economic growth in France - the second largest economy in the eurozone - will be 1% this year, lagging behind Germany, with 1.8% growth.

Annual growth of 1.5% is generally considered necessary to improve job prospects. At best economists consider unemployment will stabilise.